Discharge device



2, M. KLQPPRQGGE DI SCHARGE DEVICE Filed June 5, 1939 Inventor-z Martin K loppr-ogge,

His Attorney.

Patented Jan. 2, 1940 UNITED, STATES PATENT orrics nisonARoE Device Martin Klopprog'ge, Berlin-Zehlendorf, Germany,

assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 5, 1939, Serial No. 277,497

' .In.Germany April 19, 1938 4 Claims/(01. 250-275) g factorily fulfill this requirement. Another object is to provide such tubes having a construction in is which all the lead-in conductors may be brought in through a single stem press.

To this end, in accordance with the present invention the tube is constructed in such manher that the anode and cathode are arranged 90 in side by side relation in substantial parallelism and both are embraced by the grid structure. The latter element is so formed in the region between the anode and cathode as to provide a restricted discharge passage of carefully regulated dimensions. The features which I desire to protect herein are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by refer- 30 ence to the following description taken in connection with the drawing, in whichFig. 1 represents a side view partially broken away of a discharge device suitably embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 35 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the invention; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 1- 1 of Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 is another cross-sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 3.

40 Referring particularly to Fig. 1 there is shown a glass envelope #6 which is assumed to enclose an ionizable medium such for example, as mercuiy vapor or argon gas or an appropriate combination of vapors and gases. Within the en- 45 velope there are arranged in side-by-side relation an indirectly heated cathode I I of elongated configuration and a cooperating-anode l2 which is' substantially parallel with the cathode. As appears more clearly in Fig. 2 these electrodes 50 are enclosed within a sheet metal grid structure H of generally tubular form. (By the word tubular in this connection, is meant any form having a substantially perimetrically complete contour whether such contour be circular or nona circular.)

Construction of the grid structure is such that the anode and cathode are respectively enclosed Within substantially separate chambers arranged in 'sideby-side relation and defined by the outer Walls of the structure and by a wall portion l5 Which extends transversely of the discharge path." The wall portion is provided with a restricted opening it which may be carefully adjusted as to dimensions to produce the desired control characteristic of the device. The ends of them grid structure are closed by means of transverse insulating members !8 and 19 which form in 'combinationwith the grid structure a substan-.

tially complete enclosure for the anode and cathode. One advantage of the arrangement speci- 15 fied lies in its effectiveness in completely shielding the discharge system from the effect of exor may be, .as shown, supported directly from the stem press H. A plurality of lead-in con.-

ductors, numbered to 29 inclusive, are sealed 30 1 into the stem press and connected with the various electrodes. The construction described realizes the important advantage of providing a shielded discharge system which is supported and energized entirely from one end of the discharge envelope.

In Fig. 3 there is shown an alternative embodiment of the invention; In this figure parts corresponding to elements already described in connection with Fig. l are similarly numbered.

In this case the grid structure, numbered 3!,

1 comprises a perimetrically complete metal memher which is constricted at a central axial plane thereof, as indicated at 32, to providea restricted passage between the cathode Ii and the anode It. This structural modification represents a simplification and reduction in cost of the device.

Another feature of difference between the device of Fig. 3 and that of Fig. 1 lies in the manner of support of the electrode elements. In the figure now under consideration the wall of the discharge envelope H) is drawn in at the upper portion to provide a section 33 of reduced diameter. The supports 22 and 23" provided for the grid structure extend into this reduced section and are supported by it through the agency of relatively flexible elements 36 and 31 which are of such size as to engage the wall of the envelope. This feature is best shown in 5 Fig. 5.

In the arrangement of Fig. 3 the grid lead-in conductor is shown as being sealed at 38 through the upper part of the envelope. However, it may alternatively be introduced through the stem press in the manner illustrated in Fig. l.

While I have described my invention in connection with particular embodiments thereof it will be understood that numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. I, therefore, aim

in the appended claims to cover all such equivalent variations as come within the true spirit and scope of the foregoing disclosure.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An electric discharge device comprising an envelope containing an ionizable medium and provided with a reentrant stem press at one end thereof, an elongated anode and cathode arranged in substantial parallelism within said envelope and extending in substantially the same direction as the said stem press, a grid structure forming a pair of elongated chambers which are positioned in side-by-side relation and which respec- 9 tively enclose the anode and cathode, said chambers being in communication with one another only through a relatively narrow opening defined by a portion of said grid structure, and a plurality of lead-in conductors extending through said stem press and respectively connecting with said anode, cathode and grid structure.

3. An electric discharge device comprising an I envelope containing an ionizable medium, an elongated anode and cathode mounted in substantial parallelism within said envelope, a generally tubular and imperforate grid structure enclosing said anode and cathode, said grid structure being constricted along an axial plane thereof to limit the discharge path between the anode and cathode to a relatively narrow opening.

4. An electric discharge device comprising a relatively elongated envelope, an anode and cathode mounted in side-by-side relation within the envelope and having opposed surfaces which parallel the major axis of the envelope, and a grid structure forming a pair of chambers which are also in side-by-side relation and which respectively enclose the anode and cathode, said chambers being in communication with one another only through a relatively narrow opening defined by a portion of said grid structure.

MARTIN KLOPPROGGE. 

